Program Reviews

I had the opportunity to go on ARCC Africa Gap and it was honestly one of the best experiences I have ever had. I loved being able to travel around Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania with a group of like-minded individuals and two supportive leaders. I learned and incredible amount about myself, who I am around a group and most of all, I was able to learn about the world. We were able to travel to many different cities in each country and see a variety of different landscapes and cultures. We traveled between rural villages and high populated cities to see the change that urbanization and development bring to a country. As a group we did a multitude of different projects involving people, animals, the environment and explored the importance of all three working together. I absolutely loved the past three months. The amount i have learned about myself and the world outweighs any 3 months I could've spent in a classroom. I'm so happy I chose ARCC programs to show me this amazing world.

During our time in Ecuador we got the amazing opportunity of getting to stay with a family in the Amazon. Spending a few days in the Amazon was unlike anything I have ever gotten to do and wouldn't have been able to experience without arcc. During our home stays we were immediately emerged into the way of life of the Amazonian people. The house I stayed in was a creaky wooden fort like house that was home to eight with only two bedrooms. I was emerged into the unique diet of the Amazonian people, bathing in rivers and the strong sense of community Santa Barbra had. This experience was eye opening and absolutely amazing.

One of my favorite experiences of my entire Gap Semester came in Chambok, Cambodia. Chambok is a small, rural village that sustains itself by offering homestays with local families. At first we were nervous about our three day stay, as there was no electricity or plumbing. But shortly after arriving, we realized what an amazing cultural and once in a lifetime experience it truly was. We hiked to an amazing nearby waterfall, swam in rivers, made rice noodles and bamboo sticky rice, learned traditional Khmer dances, spotted shooting stars, and even spent time with 6 adorable newborn puppies! My 18th birthday happened to fall over our three day stay, and I was able to start the day meditating with monks at the nearby monastery. That night, our wonderful hosts made me a traditional Khmer cake baked inside of a pumpkin. It was the most amazing birthday I could have ever hoped for.

Travel is more than just seeing new parts of the world; travel is exploring yourself. Upon my arrival back into my contained, traditional American life, I had the realization that all I had done these past three months had altered the way I see everything around me. I eagerly share stories and experiences whenever appropriate only to be disappointed by the neutral response of "wow - that's pretty neat." Inside jokes are followed by confused stares, my 20 minute long synopsis about my most emotional experience in the Cambodian killing fields only warrants a quick 5 second response, no one understands that when I snap my fingers as others talk, I'm only politely agreeing. Others see and fear not to point out the change in my voice, the new step in my walk, the tan on my skin - what they fail to recongnize is what this all means. These physical changes represent more than just that, they're evidence of the new culture I've adapted to, the confidence I've gained and the hard work I've put forth.

As I try to adapt to American culture that seems so foreign to me, I must keep close to heart the experience I have gained that only a traveler could understand. I have a mother and father in Thailand, I have meditated with a monk. I have a family of 13 dispersed across the country that is in the same boat I am. I've faced discomfort, I've seen things some may only get to see in a documentary. I'm mature, I'm culturally sensitive, I'm educated. I am a world traveler.

This trip has been an amazing experience. My group is wonderful and I have gotten to know them all so well through our shared experiences and activities. I have learned so many lessons from them. The leaders are amazing and facilitate this so well. I've met inspiring people who work at organizations that are doing great work. Being in third world countries has taught me so much about my privilege, the potential help my education can bring, and additionally how to deal with practical life problems.

While in Costa Rica, we volunteered at a turtle hatchery that helps release baby turtles into the Pacific safely. We had night patrols every night, where we walked the beach to look for fresh turtle tracks in hopes of finding a female turtle who was laying her eggs, before a poacher came. For the first three nights, I never saw anything, until one night we came across some tracks. We were lucky enough to have found the Olive Ridley mama turtle before the poachers did. She had not yet played her eggs, but when we were there, we were able to catch over 130, and relocate them to the hatchery. The experience was amazing, and I knew that I would have never been able to do something remotely close to that, if I had not gone on the trip.

This has been a good experience for me. I've learned a lot about different cultures and countries during my travels and it's been amazing to witness some of these cultures firsthand. We went to the highlands or Ecuador where we stayed in a small village and helped them on a construction project for a week. We connected with the local children, learned about their way of life, and made lasting connections with the community.

For an entire week in the city of Qutambi, myself and my thirteen other group members had to all pack into one classroom. We laid out tiny mattresses and our sleeping bags and all had to deal with sleeping very close to everyone else. Throughout this experience, no one complained, we all took it as an opportunity for learning and getting to know each other! We called it our "Group Slumber Party" and embraced the situation as positively as possible. This is a great example of just how much fun you can have on a gap semester. 50 days before our Group Slumber Party, none of the people packed into the classroom like sardines had ever met nor had we even known each other's names. Over the course of a gap semester your group and yourself become a family.

We were able to live in a village in the Ecuadorean Amazon and it was really enlightening. We took part in the traditional dances and worked with them to help their community center it was really cool and stuff. I had a lot of fun

Taking this gap semester with ARCC was the best decision I ever made! This trip changed my life in so many ways: from the unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, to the 11 unique individuals I got to live with and learn from, to the incredible support of the two trip leaders (Graham and Margo) who constantly pushed me to jump outside my comfort zone and set me on the path to becoming my best self.
The program could not have been planned more perfectly: we had a great mix of service and adventure, urban and rural, rugged and comfortable, structured curriculum and independent learning.
In Costa Rica, we got to learn Spanish and relax on the beaches, work on conservation and service projects on the coast and in the mountains, go surfing and whitewater rafting, and experience the local culture through homestays and a stay on a beautiful farm deep in the mountains.
In Ecuador, we got to experience life in the Amazon through home and village stays, explore the amazing city of Quito, go ziplining in a beautiful cloud forest and hiking through mountains and jungles, plan our own adventure in Baños and Lake Quilotoa without any help from our leaders, build community houses and volunteer at schools, and immerse ourselves in two entirely different indigenous cultures (that of the Amazon and Andes Quichua people).
In Peru, we got to see rich Inca history in Cusco and Machu Picchu, immerse ourselves in a remote community while helping them build clean stoves, work with Peruvian Hearts at a hogar (orphanage) and rebuilding the house of one of the organization's Peruvian Promise scholarship recipients, and stay at the beautiful Lake Titicaca.
Everything about this trip was unbelievably amazing, and I wish I could experience these 3 months again, because they were some of the best 3 months of my life.